Getting Started Early

Since I did hardly any sewing for 2014, I'm counting anything I make now for 2015!   I'm strongly considering doing the 2015 SWAP over at Stitcher's Guild.  One of the things I want to make is this Tom and Linda Platt top from Vogue 1415.  I have something called "Eurostretch crepe" which is a rayon blend.  No idea where I got it.  It's cream colored.  I think it will be perfect.

I never know how these things are going to look on me, so I decided to make a wearable muslin.  I'm absolutely in love with cotton lawn and buy it whenever I find a piece that I like.  I'm pretty sure that I got this piece at Stone Mountain Daughter in Berkley at the last PR weekend that I attended.  I'm really happy with how this turned out.

This was actually quite easy and fast.  The one thing a new sewist would need to know is that all it says is to sew in the sleeve.  There is quite a bit that needs to be eased in, and they do not have you run an ease line.  I was able to ease it in by sewing with the sleeve down and adjusting tension with my fingers, but someone new to sewing may not know how to do this.  Other than that, everything was super simple.  There are no darts in this pattern, and although there was plenty of circumference, I added a little over an inch to the front hem to add length over the bust.  

So, today I cut out the cream colored crepe, I cut out a dress from V1250, a DKNY dress that I've made once before.  I bought this fabric specifically to make this dress (probably at the same PR weekend) so I'm glad it's finally going to happen.  I'm a little concerned because the fabric does not have as much stretch as the last one I made (and I have a bit more width than the last time!)  I added a about 1.5" in the circumference, so I hope that will be enough.  I have to get this dress made this week because I'm wearing it next weekend when we go out with some friends.  When Andy and I lived in Visalia, we went out a lot, and it was never a big deal.  Visalia is an out of the way town, but we have a ton of fabulous restaurants.  If you ever go through our area, I can highly recommend 

• Fugazzis
• The Depot
• The Vintage Press
• Watson's (only open for lunch, but great vegetarian food)
• Pita Kabob - three locations, all excellent
• Brewbakers if you're looking for handcrafted brews
• Taj Palace - Indian food - lacking atmosphere, but great food
• Several sushi restaurants.  Our favorites are Gozen and Sake
• Plus a slew of mexican restaurants and chain restaurants (Olive Garden, Chilis, Panera, Wild Wings, etc)

Well, I can go on forever on that, but the point is, now when we go out to dinner, it IS a big deal.  There are several restaurants in Three Rivers, but unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend any of them.  Well, I take that back.  Sierra Subs has GREAT sandwiches and unusual menu items, but they're usually closed by the time I get home from work.  So, we're going for a big night out on the town with some friends next week and I want to have a new dress.  Here's a preview on the left.

I love the brushstroke fabric!

Well, I haven't done a lot of sewing, but I did do some crocheting for Christmas.  Made a couple of hats.

And, a beautiful alpaca/merino shawl/mobius scarf for my daughter.  I was really disappointed with the yarn because it sheds like crazy.  It is super soft and warm though.  The color is gray, but it looks almost white in the picture. 

Oh, and I did sew an ipad cover for my sister in law.  These are a pain in the butt, so I hope I don't make any more of them.  I made them for 3 of my coworkers after I made my own and said "never again."  Well, never came, but I hope that's it!

Emma's Garden hat

I haven't gotten much sewing done, but am hoping to today.  This week I made a little hat for Emma.  I've searched the internet for toddler size hats, but the only hats I've seen that I've liked are either way too small (newborn) or way to big.  After looking at so many, I decided to try to make up my own pattern.  The cluster stitch is pretty common and I've used it before.  I crochet pretty tightly, so you may need a smaller hook.  I have no idea what gauge this is, so you'll just have to experiment like I did!  The first one I made came out way too big.  This was coming out too small, so I kept adding rows.  I still haven't tried it on her, but I compared it to some other hats she has, so I'm pretty sure it will work.

I used variegated yarn, so it just so happened that it made a white band around the bottom with a green border!  I think I would do this on purpose next time :-)  I actually switched rows 4 and 5 when I did it, which is because I needed to make it bigger and did not want to have to rip out (again) what I already did.  The next time I will do it the way I wrote it here.  I can hardly wait to try it on her when we see her next time.  I'm having Emma withdrawl.

Emma’s Garden Hat

Cotton yarn - worsted (4) weight - less than one skein, plus scraps for the flowers

size J hook

• Beg CL:  chain 3.  DC w/in one step of finishing (2 loops on hook).  Repeat (3 loops on hook) YO, draw through 3 loops.

• cluster:  DC leaving 2 loops on hook, repeat (3 loops on hook), repeat (4 loops on hook)  YO, pull through 4 loops.

  

• end:  Sl St in top ch of ch 3. sl st in next st, sl st in ch 2 space.

magic ring

Round 1:  Inside ring   Beg cluster, Ch 2.  *cluster, ch 2.  Repeat from * 3 times.  end. (5 clusters) pull magic ring tight

Round 2:  Beg CL,  ch 2.  * In next ch-2 sp, cluster, ch-2, cluster ch-2.  Repeat from * in ea ch-2 sp. end. (10 clusters)

Round 3:  Beg CL, ch 2 * in next ch-2 sp, cluster, ch-2 cluster, ch-2.  In next ch 2 sp, cluster, ch 2.  Repeat from * all the way around.  end.  (15 clusters)

Round 4: Beg CL, ch 2 * in next ch-2 sp, cluster, ch-2 cluster, ch-2.  In next ch 2 sp, cluster, ch 2. In next ch 2 sp, cluster, ch 2.  Repeat from * all the way around.  end.  (20 clusters)

Rounds 5-7: Beg CL, ch 2 * in next ch-2 sp, cluster, ch-2.    Repeat from * all the way around.  end.  (20 clusters)

Round 8:  ch 1.  SC all the way around.  sl st to join.  

Rounds 9- 11 or 12:  loosly sl st all the way around in the back of each stitch.  sl st to join.  Turn.  End with the right side facing you.

Finishing row:  ch 1, *sc in next stitch, ch1, sl st, ch 1.  Repeat from * all the way around.  Finish with sl st and tie off ends.

Embellish with your choice of flowers.  

Wristers

I've been doing a little sewing this week and will have more on that in a couple of days. In the mean time, school seems to be getting worse and worse every year, but thankfully, I have a great class and love my students. Now, if I could just teach...


But let's not go there!!! While I was in Tennessee, I was wishing I could do some sewing, but I thought it would be fun to do a crochet project. Something I could do and still be around everyone visiting. I decided to make some "wristers" We didn't have internet access at the log cabin, but fortunately, I had my trusty iphone. I went to the Lion Brand site and found a pattern for the kind of arm warmers I was looking for. It didn't take long to make them. ( I also made a scarf, which I'll show later) Anyway I made the "Windy City Wristers" and they were a big hit with DD when I got home, so I made some for her. And one of her friends. And another pair for myself. And another pair for DD! As you can see, these are a big hit with all of us, and it isn't even cold yet! I've been wanting fingerless gloves, because I hate for my hands to be cold, but need to be able to write, type, etc. These are perfect and SO simple to make. You basically crochet a rectangle and then sew up the side leaving a hole for the thumb. How simple is that?

Gingerbread and Crochet

Last week DD Grace made an unprecedented trip with me to JoAnns. Now, I can never get this girl anywhere near a fabric store, but for some reason, she went with me that day. Of course, when she saw the kit for the gingerbread house, she wanted to try it! We bought the kit and brought it home.








That evening, her friend came over and they worked and put the whole thing together. (Grace is the one on the right.) We've had it on our table all week. In fact, when Grace came over the day before yesterday, we noticed that there was a big LICK MARK off the frosting on the roof.

Apparently, Dobby (more frequently called "Dobbo" has penchant for sugar... He also loves our new kitten, Romeo. He loves him so much, he's kind of like Lenny in Of Mice and Men.










"I'm innocent!"












I've been working on some black wool pants, but I'm afraid they may be a big snug. The fabric has enough give/ stretch, but I am lining them. Today I managed to accidentally cut the lining in the middle of the leg with my serger, so I figured today was NOT a good sewing day. Also, I had to cut 60 pieces of fabric for a sewing project I am going to do with my students. Last year we made stuffed birds, and it looks like I'm going to do it again this year. The kids got so much out of it.

I've been kind of sick this week, so haven't felt like doing much. I've been trying to do some crochet. I really like the bolero pattern in the Happy Hooker crochet book and I got the whole back finished. Then I realized I wasn't supposed to finish the whole back, but only the first 10 rows, go back and work on the front, and then join the 2 before finishing the back. I had to rip out a couple of evenings worth of work. This is the first thing I've ever tried to crochet from a pattern other than a hat. I like how it's coming out, but I'm worried that it may be a little tight in the armhole. I'm making this out of Lion Brand Wool Ease, which is a wool blend yarn. It's pretty easy to work with, but what do I know? I haven't really done this before! My mother was a fabulous knitter when she was alive. I just don't have the patience for it. For some reason, I like crochet better.